Turkey optimistic about 2010 summer season

Turkish tourism professionals show great interest and more participated the 44th edition of world's largest travel exhibition; ITB-Berlin.
It is clear that more Turkish tourism professionals and representatives are at ITB-Berlin 2010 because of Turkey's presence as the partner country and celebration of Istanbul as being the 2010 European Culture Capital.

Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry organized a press conference on Thursday with the attendence of Undersecretary Özgür Özaslan, Promotion Director Cumhur Güven Taşbaşi, Berlin Attaché Hüseyin Gazi Coşan, General Secretary at 2010 European Culture Capital Agency Yilmaz Kurt.

Günay said that Germany which stands as the biggest market for Turkish tourism accounted a 1.6 percent increase and an increase of 12 percent is recorded in arrivals from UK. Stating both countries announced drop in travelers for last year, increase in arrivals to Turkey from those countries present success of Turkey. Günay is hopeful increase will continue in following years. Günay revealed Turkey's target as being one of the Top 10 countries in world listing both with number of arrivals and total tourism income by 2023. Turkey expects to host more than 28 million tourists in 2010.

Günay also stated that ministry aims to promote not only Turkey's coasts but also its historic and cultural beauties, wellness facilities and golf courses in a bid to increase the revenue from tourism activities. Turkey is promoting two historic artifacts in this year's ITB, an angel image from the Hagia Sophia and the head of a statue of Augustus unearthed in excavations near Pamukkale (Hieropolis).

General Secretary at 2010 European Culture Capital Agency Yilmaz Kurt said that it is a very nice coincidence that Turkey's partner country status and Istanbul's European Culture Capital status realizing on same year. "I am requesting from tour operators to take this chance to add Istanbul into their travel programs to inform travelers about Istanbul's history and culture" said Kurt.

Hisaronu holidays in Turkey

A visit to Hisaronu was my marvelous holiday pick. I loved my visit there. Hisaronu in Turkey is a small but very charming hill town which is at a very short distance from Turkey’s cost.

This small town lately has become the best holiday resort because of the numerous restaurants, hotels, bars and shops that you will find almost every where in this town catering the need and requirements of tourists of all age group.

Reaching Hisaronu, the first thing that we did was to go on the Olu Deniz beach. It hardly took us ten minutes to reach the beach. There were many water activities offered on the beach such as parasailing, water skiing, scuba diving and many more.

But I tried paragliding. I went up on Babadag Mountain, and from there I landed on the beach. It was a little scary, but was a wonderful experience. Then we went for a boat trip and clicked many pictures there.

Walking along the forest paths, in the Ghost town was another wonder activity. This town is uninhabited with over 3000 houses. Another very gorgeous beach in Hisaronu was The Blue Lagoon where we experienced the spectacular view of sun rising.

Holiday in Hisaronu is very cheap and people here are extremely helpful and very friendly. So we had no problem during our trip there. Instead, whenever I and my mother went out, there were people ready to help us. This destination is suitable for those who want a very relaxing vacation and also for adventure lovers.

Source -cheapholidays blog

When is the best time to spend holidays in Turkey?

This is the question many holidaymakers are seeking answer to.
Spring is best, then next autumn, and then summer and then winter last. Let’s find out why.

Spring
Spring season comprising of April, May till mid-June is the prime time to visit Turkey because, at this time the weather is uniformly moderate throughout the country. The duration of the day is long, and the tourist rush is yet to come. So, it is the best time to avoid the tourist crowd and also the mosquitoes. Though, rains can start in April there. The sea is mostly clean but after the rainfall can become murky near the sea-shore. Nature is also most glorious; wild rivers, snowy mountains. Yayla season is also about to begin. Many mountain festivals also take place during June.

Summer
Summers beginning from mid-June till mid-September or the national holiday time has quite hot weather as compared to all the seasons in Turkey but the climate is pleasantly warm. The season is rainless and cool in the evenings. The average temperature is 26 degrees C. It is also the peak season in tourism so it is best to visit before or after this period.

Autumn
Autumn season starting from mid-September and lasting till October is the second best time to go to Turkey. The days are bright, clear and shorter with mostly mild weather, not ideal for swimmers. Rain can come again in October.

Winter
Winter season comprising of months of November to March is chilly and rainy in most parts of the country excluding the southeast. The prices are lower and tourists are less. Snowfall hinders the growth of tourism. So plan your holidays in the season which best suit your needs and have a great time in Turkey.

Honorary ambassador of Cappadocia

I remember every place I set up camp 16 years ago when I cycled from Ankara to Antalya via Kayseri and Cappadocia on my New Zealand to Cairo trip. Most camps where pitched on the backside of a restaurant since Turkish food easily belong to the best and tastiest on the globe.

It was a really demanding crossing because the headwinds were so tough so I couldn´t move more than 5-6 km:s per hour. It took ages to get to Antalya. This time it was easier. I took the bus, invited by the Cappadocian Tourist Organisation, to asses its possibilities to draw more tourists world wide. All arranged as usual by one of my best friends, Dogan Tilic, one of the nicest human beings I have ever met. And I met him 16 years ago not far from the Black Sea Cost.

First early in the morning when I started my climb up a very long steep hill. he and his extended family went to the beach and on the way back, they passed me once again, still climbing, but the car was full, 10 people in a small WW Bubble, so they couldn´t stop. They were all hungry. However when I reached the top, they passed me once again on the way down and stopped. It was the first time I met Dogan. His mother had taken pity on me and wanted to feed and rest me for a few days in a summer house they had. And ever since that day we have been in regular contact and I have been several times to Turkey, lecturing at different Universities, even writing articles for Birgun. Dogan is today one of Turkeys most influential journalists. But, most of all, he is a genuinely good human being. He has been in prison, tortured for his political views, during the 70´s, but his life is still plagued by laughter and joy and not bitterness, he is uncorruptible in every way and he is a story teller in the Yasar Kemal tradition. And the most amazing things happen every time we meet!

After leaving Oman with sadness, it was great to end up in Turkey with Dogan and his family in Ankara. There are such an inspirational couple, he and his great wife Helga and they have such a healthy perspective on everything. Plus, of course, Dogan have an eastern touch to everything he says and agrees with the quote of the Arab World:

“In the East, if you have patience, everything will eventually come true.”

Life does becomes easier to a certain degree if one thinks like this…..but, one thing is for sure, Turkey is in many ways the perfect bridge between the West and Arab East and that was one of the reasons we came here. The other to lecture and be part of a big conference on tourism in Antalya with journalist from all over the world. And, surprisingly enough, the news of the Expedition Arabia had spread to Turkey and I have spent a fair amount of time getting interviewed by media all over the place and what thrills me with Turkey, is also that they, compared to many Muslim states, genuinely listen to what you have to say and are ready to discuss Islam at length without getting stuck into set phrases and beliefs. This is another reason Turkey is perfect for the cultural bridge. If the expedition ever will happen….

I have received hundreds of emails from people all over the world which thinks it is a pity the expedition is off. I appreciate that a lot. Even though I have abandoned the Expedition until things happen, who knows if they will, I will still keep working on keeping the project alive and continue to do research. And this area of the world, just ain´t easy. Another Swede, Christian Bodegren, just gave up his dream. He feels like a failure, I told him not to. He has at least put his dream in motion, most people never do. One always tries to find faults about oneself when things doesn´t go the way as expected. Same here. But not this time. I have really done my best. Another friend, Paula Constant, tried to do Christians trip the other way around and failed, thought it was due to that she was a woman. Paula, it is just this part of the world. It is difficult and complicated with a lot of red tape. And that is why so many people have problems understanding this part of the world, when it closes borders and complicates unnecessarily for nothing to gain. Building borders, not bridges, doesn´t make a better world.

I will write a long article about Cappadocia next week after the conference, but I just want to say that I met some great people there and one of Turkish best known photograpers, Baris Koca, joined us and made the visit even more pleasant. Most surprising of all, was that i was made Honorary Ambassador for Cappadocia! And that is an extra-ordinary honor and let me just say, i will do my best to high light this extra-ordinary place to the rest of the world. So do see this slide show from the visit! 5 of the pictures belong to Baris.

Yacht Charters in Turkey

In mid-July to mid September are the busiest and most expensive month to a boat tour of the Turkish coast. The temperature is 40 ° C in May and late September, more than a little cooler and are cheaper. April and October to see some rain, but it is still pleasantly warm. From May to October this area experiences the Meltemi. It blows from the N and NW and make sailing in that direction hard work. Bodrum, Marmaris and Fethiye are the main yacht charter ports. The following terms are arranged from north to south. Iskele is a lovely little village on the northern Aegean coast opposite the Greek island of Lesbos. Many of the old stone houses in the village now serve as inns, guesthouses and restaurants. A few meters away Behramkale stands, even though most people still call the city by its ancient name of Assos. It was founded around 700 BC by colonists from the island of Lesbos. On a hill in the vicinity are the ruins of the Doric Temple of Athena (530 BC), surrounded by crumbling walls and an ancient cemetery. Nearby is the 14th Murad Hüdavendigar century Ottoman mosque. The hill offers a spectacular view from the island of Lesvos and the Aegean Sea. Ayvalik is a coastal town in the northern Aegean Sea. It is surrounded by olive groves that produce much of Turkey’s best olive oil. Ayvalik has an interesting history, moved to the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the Ottoman Greeks of Ayvalik to Greece, and Turkish citizens in Greece moved to Ayvalik. The city has converted many old Ottoman Greek houses and Orthodox churches, which were now in mosques. The port has many good restaurants. Ferries operate daily in summer between Ayvalik and the Greek island of Lesbos (Mytilenians), but the price is unusually high for 2 hours ride. Alibey island lies off the coast from Ayvalik. It has good restaurants and tavernas on the shore. Izmir, formerly Smyrna, is an important port and commercial center sits on a large bay. The town was rebuilt after a fire again destroyed in 1922 during the Revolutionary War, much of the ancient Smyrna. Therefore, the city is modern, with little in the way of archaeological interest. Perhaps there are other worthwhile places to visit if your time in Turkey on a 2-week yacht charter is limited. Kusadasi is a major Aegean resort and cruise ship port. It also has a full-service marina. From here it is possible to visit Ephesus, just 11 miles away, one of the best preserved Roman cities in the Mediterranean. Other ancient cities such as Aphrodisias, Euromos and the Temple of Zeus, Priene, Miletus and Didyma can also be seen. Kusadasi is popular with tourists from Western Europe to expect, then, to serve in the search for “Red Lion”, the “all day English breakfast” and several outlets for Guinness. Gumusluk has a beautiful little harbor with good protection, there are several good restaurants around the harbor. Turgutreis is situated at the end of the Bodrum peninsula and yachts can berths in the full-service harbor, not far from the city to find. There are good beaches Aspat, Akyarlar and Huseyin FeneriAmazon Creek is a narrow cove with pine trees. Nearby is a campsite with swimming pool and small provisioning store. Bodrum is one of the main centers for yacht charters along the Aegean coast of Turkey. Here are the ruins of the ancient mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. And one of the most important museums in the world for underwater archeology, the castle of St. Peter, a Crusader fortress. The beaches in the town of Bodrum are to be small and crowded, the water is not particularly clean. There are better beaches along the Bodrum Peninsula. Bodrum is passed for its night life with lots of loud discos and clubs, known until the early morning hours. From here you can take the ferry and visit the Greek islands of Kos and Rhodes. Datca harbor is in two halves by a narrow causeway, he divided a small island with the mainland. During the summer months, the port is always very full and a berth can be difficult to find. The city is good for the deployment and has many restaurants to choose from. Nearby are hot, very hot sulfur springs. Orhaniye lies at the eastern end of the Gulf of Hisaronu. A modern marina is located about 1. 5 miles from the relatively unspoiled village Orhaniye. EKINCIK can be identified light tower on the western headland. For a day trip, take on the local boats for a tour of the Dalyan River. Look for loggerhead turtles, which can be seen on the long sandy beach at the mouth of the River. The beach is one of only two Mediterranean breeding grounds for these species. The first stop is usually the caves on the outskirts of Dalyan. Once you travel upriver in the estuary and marsh reeds, before the ruins of ancient Kaunos. These include the Roman Baths, an amphitheater, a library, temple and a medieval fortress. Exercise river to Dalyan village you will find the Lycian rock tombs layer high in the wall and eventually you reach the Lake of Koycegiz Golu. Marmaris is probably the premier location for sailing on the Aegean coast. It is a full-service marina, or yacht to try for a place in the busy harbor. Take a stroll one honeycomb in the old town streets. Ferry cruises to and from the Greek island of Rhodes several times a day during the summer months. It is the natural port of Marmaris that Nelson’s fleet in 1798, ready to see before the battle of Aboukir, that the English victory over the French. There is a museum in his little castle. Make a stop at kumlu Buku and explore the ancient ruins of Amos in the hills to the north. The stiff climb will be rewarded with a beautiful view. Ciftlik sits in a beautiful bay and is a good place for basic care. Gocek is situated in a wooded bay at the northern end of the Skopea Liman. It is protected from all but the strongest south and west winds. Skopea Marina is located in Göcek town, and a second facility, the Marina Club is located just across the water. There is a regular ferry service, between the Club and Marina Skopea Marina. Club Marina is one of landscaped gardens and pine; facilities include bars, restaurants and playgrounds for children. Gocek has good shopping and many of the shops in the city will deliver to the boat. Restaurants offer a good selection of local cuisineFethiye is close to a large inlet on the Mediterranean with some of the best beaches in Turkey. The Fethiye and Calis beaches are just a few miles. The bay itself is very good for sailing. At the approach of Fethiye, passing through the navigable channel to the west of Fethiye Adasi. From here it is possible to see the prominent rock tombs visible in the cliffs above the town. A good day trip inland is a visit to Saklikent canyon, high in the mountains above Fethiye. Over the millennia, swift water, a constricted channel has cut through the mountains. This gorge is 300 meters deep and 10 miles long. Since the walls of the gorge Saklikent are so high, they cut most of the sun and it is a beautiful resort on hot summer days. Take a picnic or visit one of the rustic restaurants on the river and try a delicious fresh trout. During the summer months there is a ferry from Fethiye to the Greek island of Rhodes. Gemile Iceland, Fethiye Bay and has many Byzantine ruins. Sail south and pass the Seven Capes. Gusts from the tip of the cape which can be quite strong, and yachts are advised to remain good two miles off the coast when passing. Kalkan is a lovely quiet anchorage. This town is attractive and a good base for heading out to explore the ruins of Letoon, Xanthos and Patara. Kekova Roads is the channel of water between the Kekova Island and the mainland. The roads are 6 miles long and offers many attractive anchorages and interesting ruins to explore.

Holidays To Turkey

Turkey is a perfect choice if you want to spend holidays on a land of volcanoes, beautiful beaches or historical places. Combination of 7 beautiful regions: the Black Sea, the Marmara, the Aegean, the Mediterranean, Central Anatolia, Eastern Anatolia and South East Anatolia, Turkey is perhaps world’s most contested country with historical battlegrounds, ruined castles and palaces of great empires.

With a rich historic sites and archaeological wonders, Turkey reflects both Eastern and Western culture. There is something for everyone in Turkey to explore and reveal the natural secrets. Turkey provides different holidays destinations which suit all requirements and budgets. Family holidays, adventure holidays, cruises and water sports are a few of different packages. Some of destinations to visit are Antalya, Alanya, Marmaris, Bodrum, Kusadasi, Ankara, Nemrut Dagi, Cappadocia and Erzincan. You may want to go for a swim in the Mediterranean and enjoy a lazy afternoon.

You can find cheap Turkey holidays easily as Turkey’s tourism industry has grown over the years because of its affordability as an international destination. Visitors are enchanted by unique historical and archaeological sites, majestic mountains and valleys, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, castles, mosques and a beautiful coastline.

“Go for the history, but stay for the food,” is often said of Turkey holidays. Turkey has a rich variety of cuisine that makes it worthwhile just to take a culinary tour of the country. You cannot identify one dominant Turkish food like the Italian pasta or the French sauce, but the Turks have perfected their cuisine to a fine craft that reflects their refinement of culture.

Spring is best time to travel to Turkey (April, May, June). Because the weather is moderate, the days are long and the tourist crowd hasn’t arrived yet, but beware April can be rainy. Second choice is autumn (September, October, and November). Mostly mild weather, but the days are shorter than spring, rain may begin in October. Summer is quite hot in Turkey (July, August) usually rainless, cool inland in the evenings. November through March (winter), the weather is mostly rainy and then snowy except in the south.